If Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings was Craig MacTavish's last gasp as coach of the Edmonton Oilers, and I suspect it was, don't count me among those overjoyed with his demise.

But listening to MacTavish in the post-game news conference at Rexall Place last night, with each word dripping with defeat and disappointment, I'm more convinced than ever he will meet with team owner Daryl Katz and offer his resignation face-to-face in the next two weeks. No texts.

I'm convinced it's for the best.

"It's kind of a frame on the year we’ve had where we've put ourselves in position many times during the year, but we just haven't been able to capitalize on that opportunity," MacTavish told reporters.

"You can call it whatever you want. There's going to be lots of time for analysis now, but that was indicative of a lot of nights where we've needed a game and just come up short.

"It's not just the game tonight I'm going to wrap myself around. It's a lot of nights like this over the course of the year. Thanks..."

Then, he stepped away.

MacT’s call

Having been up-close-and-personal when MacTavish contemplated walking away before, I can tell you he's a man who doesn't take defeat easily or duck his share of responsibility when it comes to failure, which this season surely was. I can tell you he's an honest, honourable guy.

But, after a season in which MacTavish made too many decisions that didn't make sense or play to the strengths of the personnel on the roster, a season in which he set the bar high in pre-season with talk of a Northwest Division title, it's time to go.

Last night, MacTavish looked so far removed from the optimism of October and so used up, I can't come to any other conclusion, even allowing for the disappointment of the moment.

Make no mistake, this is MacTavish's call to make, and he deserves that much. While we don't talk as much as we used to, I can assure fans MacTavish will look at the situation and make the right call. He won't hang on when he knows he should let go, he won't cling to the spotlight.

No cheering in the press box

Some media types can't wait to fire the coach -- the greatest misnomer in sports because what somebody in the press box writes has absolutely no effect, zero, none, on decisions -- but I've never had the urge to scream that so-and-so must go. Not Ron Low. Not Kevin Lowe. Not MacTavish.

Fans? That's different. You pay your dollar, so you get to holler. With the emotional and financial investment Joe Q has in the team, I get the passion, the over-reaction, the negative buzz on the call-in shows. It's all good.

But, like I said, when MacTavish calls it a day, you won't find me applauding his exit. He's a big boy and he knows the rules of the game. So do I. And I also know he was as committed and passionate and driven to succeed as any coach can be. But, in the end, even with 300 wins and the 2006 Stanley Cup final on his resume, MacTavish didn't succeed enough. He failed.

I find no joy in that, or at what comes next.

Second guessing

There's no question Shawn Horcoff hasn't delivered in the stretch drive with just one goal in his last 13 games, and that falls on him, but why has he been used as a shutdown centre of late?

That part falls to MacTavish, who has seen fit to turn his top-line pivot into a checker -- at least that's what he's said in recent weeks to explain Horcoff's drop in offensive production. With all the minutes he's played, I wouldn't be surprised if Horcoff's simply out of gas. Looks like it to me.

The second part falls to Kevin Lowe, who was GM when the decision was made to let Marty Reasoner and Jarret Stoll go. The lack of a reliable shutdown and face-off guy has been a glaring need since training camp.

Speaking of gassed, Dwayne Roloson is the dictionary definition of that because a Senior B goaltender wouldn't have let in the 1-0 goal by Alexander Frolov 55 seconds in.

As gritty as Roloson's been and as much as he's battled -- the Oilers would've been eliminated weeks ago without him -- he's been victimized by bad goals in the last handful of games.

MacTavish hasn't managed his goaltenders worth a damn since Mathieu Garon was traded. Three times during Roloson's skein of starts, the Oilers played back-to-back games. Not once did Jeff Deslauriers get a sniff. By the time the crunch came, MacTavish left himself no option but to ride Roloson until the wheels fell off.

JUST SAYING...

-- Patrick O'Sullivan might be a first-line talent, but he's got some work to do before he's more than a second-line winger. Not much bang for the buck since arriving at the trade deadline.

-- There wasn't room on Edmonton's coaching staff for Rob Daum this season, but there should be next season. Fact is, Daum should never have been bumped to make room for Kelly Buchberger.

-- Don't hold your breath waiting for the "He'll look like a bargain during this contract" talk from Lowe kick in when it comes to Dustin Penner because you'll turn blue before it happens. From 29 goals with Anaheim to 23 here last season to 17 with two games to play, but the tab, $4.25 million per season, remains the same.

-- With yet another second assist against the Kings, Tom Gilbert is living proof numbers don't tell the whole story. I'm doing a running tally on those, but I'm out of fingers and toes. If I'm GM Steve Tambellini, Gilbert is the defenceman I move -- before other GMs realize he's a soft, complimentary player -- if I'm dangling one of my blueliners in pursuit of a first-line pivot or left winger.

-- Listen to Robin Brownlee every Thursday from 4 to 6pm on Just A Game with Jason Gregor on TEAM 1260.

A sports writer since 1983, including stints at The Edmonton Journal and The Sun 1989-2007, I happily co-host the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260 twice a week and write when so inclined. Have the best damn lawn on the internet. Most important, I am Sam's dad. Follow me on Twitter at Robin_Brownlee. Or don't.

George wrote:
gilbert for frolov
How about Gilbert ++ for Simon Gagne?

Ya, I've been trumpeting that one for a while. The Flyers won't be able to move Briere IMO, so Gagne may be in play. Could be the perfect fit:
LW
2-way game
Speed & Skill
Leadership
Olympic experience with both Lowe & Tambellini

The question is, what is the ++? Gilbert Brule? 1st round pick? What??

What are the chances of Messier becoming our coach?? I have always heard that he said he would never do it but sometimes I hear the odd rumor about it. I would hate that move if it ever happened, no more old boys/no experience coaches and management. Messier will always be my favorite player and to see him possibly go through what Craig went through this year would kill me inside.

@ Robin Brownlee:
What are the chances of Messier becoming our coach?? I have always heard that he said he would never do it but sometimes I hear the odd rumor about it. I would hate that move if it ever happened, no more old boys/no experience coaches and management. Messier will always be my favorite player and to see him possibly go through what Craig went through this year would kill me inside.

I'll be keeping and eye on things once I get the drop MacTavish is in or out. My best educated guess is that Messier will skip the bench and go straight to management with whatever team he ends up with.

I'm truly disgusted with this season....moreso than even the dark days of the '90's. A season tkt holder for 30 years, I can't believe we continue to put up with this mediocrity. We have SOME decent players...dump MacT before he ruins even those. If he can't figure out how to get production from these guys, get someone who can. Who was the Einstein that said he should get consideration to coach Team Canada a couple of years ago?

@ Jack “FMNF” Bauer:
Yes, he will. That was talked about at practice this morning. Wonder if he’s rusty?

Did anyone catch the end of the pre-game warmup last night? I was at the game and watching as a bunch of the young oilers (Sully, Gagner, Cogs, Zach, etc) all formed a circle and did a shooting drill against JDD. There must have been at least a dozen players.

I was trying to see all the players involved as it quickly unfolded. It looked like all the younger oilers. The only vet on the ice for this game that I picked out was ...... Souray.

I saw the shooting game as a nice show of support for JDD and a recognition he was important to the team too. They usually do similar drill for the backup at the end of the pre-game skate. The difference was the number of players who participated last night. The most I had ever seen.

MacT's a great quote and I love listening to and reading the guys quotes but I thought he made enough odd decisions this year that he should move on.

The whole thing with Roli is that by playing him into the ground, the Oilers provided him with an excuse - or probably more to the point, a reason - for falling apart at times during the last ~10 games or so.

I heard Stauffer and Tencer crowing last night about the great asset MGMT with Garon but what did it gain the Oilers in '09?

@ Dennis:
Great asset management?
Using Horcoff as a shutdown guy in the stretch at the dollar he's earning because the GM dumped Reasoner and Stoll and never replaced them is great asset management?

Failing to get Roloson any rest with three sets of back-to-back games and Deslauriers gathering rust AFTER the decision is made to trade Garon is great asset management?

Running ham-and-eggers like Reddox and Potulnhy through here on the top lines without giving Gilbert Brule a long look in the top six is great asset management?

The old saying is something was lost in the translation, but in the Oilers case it's the transition because between Lowe stepping back and Tambellini stepping in, a lot of details fell between the cracks.

I have a suggestion - which I am sure I will get ripped for. How long have we been trying to find someone who can play with Hemsky? 4-5 years? The guy has talent, but lets face it, he doesn’t play well with others. Move Hemsky, who, with his talent and contract should get a pretty decent return, and lets build a 1st line already. How much longer are we going to continue this? Is he really going to change? And it begins…

Malc
Please check into the Alberta Hospital and get your HEAD examined!!

The Menace wrote:
Jorge wrote:
Although I don’t think you can take away the C and keep the player
Ask Mike Modano if you can do that. It’s a touchy area for sure.
The Oilers always trade away the captain … except in the case of Corson - that didn’t happen til after they stripped him of the Captaincy.

In terms of importance moving forward, worrying about who is the captain on this team falls somewhere between ordering new Blackberries for the coaching staff and slapping a fresh coast of paint on the shithouse wall in the media writing room.

The Menace wrote:
Jorge wrote:
Although I don’t think you can take away the C and keep the player
Ask Mike Modano if you can do that. It’s a touchy area for sure.
I hope we arent considering the feelings of a 4th liner when the future of the club is in question.

So if we change the captain all is right with the future of the club?? Who knew it was that easy! Stripping Moreau of the C is at the bottom of my list of things that need to be changed.

So if we change the captain all is right with the future of the club?? Who knew it was that easy! Stripping Moreau of the C is at the bottom of my list of things that need to be changed

nobody said that. I'm just suggesting that if the Captaincy is in any doubt, and it should be, then Moreau's feelings ought not be considered.

And why wouldnt a new Captain be considered? What has the Captain done all season. Nothing great on ice and nothing great off of it. I'm not impressed all that much by his 3rd period penalties or his role on the 4th line. The team hasnt worked hard at all this season and there are reports of a divided locker room. His performance hardly makes him untouchable.

We let MacT's feeling not get hurt all season and look where that got the Oil, right out of contention. If you make a mistake once it's understandable, but dont do it again. Just because it isnt a high priority doesnt mean it shouldnt be at least considered.

In terms of importance moving forward, worrying about who is the captain on this team falls somewhere between ordering new Blackberries for the coaching staff and slapping a fresh coast of paint on the shithouse wall in the media writing room.

@ Robin Brownlee:
Hey Robin,
Any truth to what I’m reading over at OilFans that Sheldon Souray wants out? It’s some hearsay garbage, but when it comes to interviews he seems most frustrated.
If the CFP thing happens again this franchise will be in ruins.
Thanks.

@ Robin Brownlee:
Hey Robin,
Any truth to what I’m reading over at OilFans that Sheldon Souray wants out? It’s some hearsay garbage, but when it comes to interviews he seems most frustrated.
If the CFP thing happens again this franchise will be in ruins.
Thanks.

Dammit, I was going to break that story tomorrow, but "Jerkybeef" over at Oil Fans beat me to it.
I don't know, we talked to Sheldon today and he sounded upset at how the season has gone, but he didn't mention wanting to be traded. Then again, Jerkybeef might be way more inside than Dan Barnes or I.

Dammit, I was going to break that story tomorrow, but “Jerkybeef” over at Oil Fans beat me to it.
I don’t know, we talked to Sheldon today and he sounded upset at how the season has gone, but he didn’t mention wanting to be traded. Then again, Jerkybeef might be way more inside than Dan Barnes or I.

RB: I agreed with everything you wrote except for the Brule part, but, yes, I was listening to the boys late last night trumpeting the Garon move and it didn't sit well with me when I remembered the goals he'd given up at Phx and vs Min, Ana and, finally, LA.

All: who'd bet that Souray could hold up healthy for another season and post plus/minus numbers like he did this year? All the elements of his game coming together came out of the absolute blue and I'd be shocked if it happened two years in a row.

I think it would be a blessing in disguise if he'd waive his NMC and as long as the brass didn't golden parachute him like they did with Pronger, it might turn out good for the Oil.

Anyway, not sure if 44's beaking or not but when you consider he made that comment about how the fans are too close when they walk to the ice, plus the fact that he seems like a bigger city guy, it wouldn't surprise me if he wants out. Let's remember that there wasn't a bidding way for his services and the Edm overbid so maybe he's having buyer's remorse.

Not allowed to write that. See subsection 4.3 on oiler nation code. " Any one person who consider's him or herself a true oil fan does not, EVER, chear for the Flame's, Canuck's, and the Wild. Nor does he or she have any favorite player's that play for the above mentioned teams".
But hey go Flyer's.

Sniff around J-Bo, if not then perhaps Ohlund. Need a top 4 Dman, maybe even top 2. Souray would be better served on this team if he was a 3-4 Dman, let him be more physical with less minutes. Hard constant minutes look like it got to him in the end. RB is right, we need to deal with Gibby before word gets around.

Need someone like Nathan Horton or a reasonable facsimile. Someone big, crashes net and has decent hands. Re-sign Kotalik and we will have a better a nice line econmical first scoring line, that won't kill our cap.

Need a 2nd line left winger, time to move DP along even if he's minors bound (sorry Mr.Katz for that wasted money). Really could use an Owen Nolan type, but don't really see anyone available, closest thing I could find that might be on the cheap would be David Moss. Once need someone big and goes to the net. Penner's biggest downfall this year was his inability to find pucks in goal mouth battles (amongst other things I guess). Move Cogs to RW and have Gagner center this line.

Last thing is Goaltending, as I do believe Roloson will be moving along, especially if Detroit falters in the playoffs. Really need a vet that has some experience on the cheap, essentially what Roloson was. Perhaps Clemmensen?

One other thing I'll agree with RB is Rob Daum. Right now I think he is the best x and o coach we have in the organization and that includes MacT.

I'm thinking a combo of Pat Quinn and Rob Daum as an associate coach of sorts would work well. One coach who can work the psychological warfare and one coach who can do the x and o's.

One thing is for certain is that the players that remain going into next year are going to need to be dusted off and picked up because this year a hard kick in the junk for fan and player alike. I believe Pat Quinn is the guy for the job, to pick everyone back up. Give him 1-2-3 years to get everything back in order and if everything goes well eventually phase in Rob Daum for the full time coaching gig.

Sorry Sully, first train out, our focus should on getting bigger, the only forwards that should be under 200lbs are Hemsky, Gagner and Cogs, at least thats the way I'd play it. To me its either Sully or Cogs, but since Cogs is cheaper and a homegrown draft pick, I defer to that. Sully is a very good and useful player, but I'm thinking this team needs to change its philosophy.

@ Dan:
Interesting mention of Clemmenson.
The other day when I was debating the merits putting an offer sheet on Josh Harding and looking at some alternatives, I made a note to myself about Clemmenson as a possibility as well.

He's a UFA who'll be looking at a raise on $500,000. When I looked him up he was 25-13-1 with a 2.39 and .917. I don't see him as markedly better or worse than Harding, but he certainly would be cheaper and there's no draft pick involved.

Another name that sticks with me is Yann Dannis. He'll be a UFA coming off a $550,000 salary and he's 10-14-3 with a .916 with a digshite NYI outfit.
I don't put him in the class of Harding or Clemmenson, but I remember him from the lockout season when I was covering the AHL. He was in Hamilton and he looked like he'd be something. Hasn't lived up to that yet.

don't forget Schremp, Brule and Eberle in the midget train out of town.
not saying give up on them, just saying get some good assets for them . 3 for 1, the one coming back a 25-30 goal scorer over 200 pounds. Scott Hartnell?

I bring up Clemmensen because he is an older AHL vet that we could sign for 1.5-2 mil/season. He'll give JDD a good run for his money, but won't be a total suck if he relegated to backup duty, perhaps he might even mentor JDD. Goalies like Biron, Fernandez, even Harding would all feel like they are entitled to the starters job. Clemmensen would be the best option to see what we have in JDD. Danis is intesting thought as well, just without the NHL success as of yet.

Robin, I didn't mean those three for Hartnell. I meant include those three on the way out of town including Gilbert, Nilsson and O'Sullivan. With Phillies cap problems wouldn't they take some cheaper players for one more expensive one? Or a top3 defenceman for one of their many forwards? Remember they signed Hartnell as a UFA after trading for the rights to negotiate with him. Klowe should have done that instead of give up 3 picks and more money for Penner than Hartnell,,,
We have six-seven players to trade in order of value:
Gilbert, O'Sullivan, Nilsson, Eberle, Brule, Pouliot, and Schremp.
In exchange either via trade or free agency we need a top 4players: a top 6 forward, a top 4 defenceman with more of a shutdown/penalty killing focus ala Robyn Regehr/Willie Mitchell, a third line center and a goalie. In order to save cap money'roster spots, some of the above (pouliot and Schremp) could be traded just for draft picks or veteran players who are good at the third line role could be signed.
I also wonder if Brent Sutter were the coach, could he get Penner to piss more drops than MacT could?

Hemsky disappeared the day after Penner was taken off his line. Strange coincidence but true nonetheless.

Hartnell is nice and all, but he is too expensive to be a 2nd liner, and I'd rather ride out the Kotalik option for 1 more year (if he'll take it). He'll be a cheaper option. This team will be pinching pennies as it is. Forcing his salary into our lineup would be tough since I'm seeing 4 holes that need to be filled out. I just wouldn't want to blow the majority of the cap space left on Hartnell.

O'Sullivan and Nilsson don't fit the philosphy, looking to move Gilbert for something more reliable and physical, Brule and Schremp will probably be looking for 1-way deals this summer which will make them tough to fit in at all. Eberle, I'd keep and see how he does in the AHL unless he is part of a ridiculous trade offer. Pouliot I would keep as an extra forward since he is on the cheap and he can play on any of the 4 lines, in any forward position in a pinch, the same would go for Reddox.

I don't think anyone could get Penner to piss a drop, at least not in Oiler silks. I guess he is a career third liner. To me we're looking to outright replace him.

Hemsky and Kotalik have decent chemistry together. To me, when Hemsky came out with his comment about being a "checker", those comments were directed at MacT about playing with Horcoff. Hemsky and Horcoff were pretty much the only constant on the forward lines the whole year. Not sure why we would have our best checker with our best point producer and expect them to make sweet music together.

For a guy begging for more responsiblity, Hemsky sure took a dump in the bed the last 20 games. Everyone on the team, with the exception of Rollie, underacheived to some extent this year. The Oil are going to miss the playoffs next year as well, or does anyone honestly think any of the 8 playoff teams plus Nashville are going to be significantly worse next year? I also doubt the Oil will be better than the Kings. This org is is a deep freaking hole.

I haven't seen much of O'Sullivan but he seems like a faster and higher skilled version of Nilsson. He kind of makes Nilsson obsolete. Too bad b/c when Nilsson is having a good game he is fun to watch.

Unless the team has a shot @ legit top 4 shutdown D guy, preferably top 2... I don't see why they should trade for your prototypical 4-5-6 stay @ home D-man.

Swing for the fences on that one i.e. package somethin' up for Komisarek or try to make room for a Bouwmeester signing by trading one of Souray/Gilbert. Hell, I wouldn't care if they traded both at this point.

I don't see Souray having as good a year next year either. He's better as a 3-4 guy, not a top 2. The minutes wore him down towards the end and his defense is lacking IMO.

Also, the Simon Gagne ideas are excellent. Philly's dealing from a vulnerable position and they're going to have to make somethin' happen there whether it's Briere or Gagne.